So far in the Laker world...

The NBA season is well under way and it seems like it just started. Currently the Lakers are 6-4 and have worked their way into the sixth spot in the Western Conference.

Ebanks

The Lakers lost the first two games of the season to the Chicago Bulls and the Sacramento Kings. After that, the Lakers went on a three game win streak, beating the likes of the Jazz, the Knicks and Nuggets. The Lakers are currently riding a two game win streak going into tonight's game against the Phoenix Suns. The first couple of games, Coach Mike Brown tweaked with his lines-ups, working with who would be the starters and who would play what minutes. Also the Lakers were playing with out Andrew Bynum for the first four games, so they were missing their key big man but got good production from Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts. Starting out the first four games at the small forward spot was Devin Ebanks, the 2nd year forward from West Virginia who has been compared to Trevor Ariza.Ebanks showed his potential and his skill in the first three games, then in the fourth game against the Knicks, Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes out played him to the point where he lost the starting position to Barnes. Ebanks didn't play the next three games, but then he got some playing time in the loss to the Trail Blazers, scoring five points in 17 minutes. Ebanks showed he can shoot and rebound. His defense was there, but wasn't as good as Barnes, who is almost averaging a steal a game. Barnes also has the experience and provides the veteran spark for this starting line-up. Metta World Peace hasn't played up to his contract. He is currently averaging about six points and .9% for his three point shot. He is a career three point average of 36%, which shows right now his three point shot is missing so far, but he keeps on shooting. He is suppose to be the sixth man for the Lakers, but he isn't supplying the offense like he should be. His rebounding and defense is keeping him in the line-up and probably his name, but if he keeps up with his inconsistent ways, Ebanks might be able to play his way back into the line-up through his work in practice and whatever junk minutes he gets during games.

Barnes

The starting line-up for the Lakers is the same as last year, minus World Peace who is on the bench and Barnes is in that forward spot. Since Bynum returned, he has been on a roll. He has stepped up his game to a major level. He could even be considered the 2nd best center in the league, behind Dwight Howard.He is currently averaging 18points and 15 rebounds a game. Bynum has stepped up his game so much, that he has become the second option for scoring behind Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol moving to the third option spot. Gasol is still averaging good numbers at 16 points and nine rebounds per a game, but he still seems to be a little lost. He is still playing good basketball, but there are time he is just standing there, not boxing out his man, living up to that soft nickname he has been given lately. He shows that flash of toughness and anger, but it is never around for long periods of time. That being said, he is still a great fit for this team, he, Bynum and Kobe are the Lakers big three. Pau is a skilled 7 foot scorer who has the passing skills of a point guard, with Bynum being the inside presence he was hyped to be and Kobe being Kobe.

Back when the Lakers were running at the championship, they had a bench that was nicknamed "The Bench Mob" and it looks like the Lakers have a brand new bench mob, with the only carry over from the last so called bench mob, Luke Walton. The new "Mob" includes Josh McRoberts, World Peace, Steve Blake, Troy Murphy, Walton and Jason Kapono. Murphy has been playing a lot better than last year. He showed he can still play when he got extra minutes when Bynum was out. He was brought in to rebound and spread the floor, which he has done. He hasn't taken many threes, but he has played solid minutes, something he did not get a chance to do last year with all his injuries. Blake, who played with the Lakers last year and was a total bust, has been reborn in this new offense. He didn't like the triangle offense, since it wasn't meant for big time scoring point guard, but Coach Brown's offense has the point guard running the offense and he has been hitting his open threes and has even played in the late crunch minutes over Derek Fisher, who has had some shooting struggles but has started all the games. Blake is averaging about eight points a game, which is double his average from last year. Blake still needs to learn how to improve his decision making, but he has shown improvement from last year, but it is hard for Laker fans to replace Shannon Brown with Blake.

The Bench Mob hard at work

 McRoberts, who likes to go by "Mac" not "McBob" has been a great spark at that power forward spot. Mac has shown he has ups for a big man, catching some great lobs. He has gotten himself into some great spots to get the rebound and has found a nice home on the Lakers roster and has even taken over the responsibilities that Lamar Odom has when he was with the Lakers, providing that spark and doing the dirty work. Walton hasn't played much this season, but when he gets his chance, he can pass the ball like a guard, he has great vision and he is not afraid to do the dirty work. He is very much a point foward combo, but not as skilled as the likes of Odom. Walton can still hit the outside shot and play the help defender role. There were rumors that Walton would be cut because of injuries, but he made the cut and when he gets the right amount of minutes, more than he has so far, he'll prove to the coaching staff that he deserves the time on the court and can help lead this bench squad when he is called upon. The final member of the bench mob is Kapono, who has a 36% three point shot this year while averaging four points a game. He didn't play much the beginning of the season because Brown was working out line-ups, but he was signed by the Lakers to bring the three ball shot to the team when its needed and he has done that and will do that. He is a shooter, so give him his time and he'll knock down shots, especially in a line up with Kobe, Bynum, and/or Gasol.

Goudelock

The Lakers two rookies, Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock, have been in reverse roles. Morris hasn't played a game for the Lakers yet, other than preseason. But Goudelock has played six games, showing he could be a younger, rawer version of Shannon Brown. Brown likes what he sees in this youngster, so he will continue to get playing time here and there, while Morris learns from the sidelines. Morris could get his shot when Blake and Fisher get a little tired and need a rest toward the middle/end of the season, but with the way Blake has been playing, it will be hard to bypass him to get his minutes. Goudelock is too quick for his own good, but he is learning as he goes to play the NBA game. The more action he sees, the more he will learn, especially with all the advice from the veterans on this team.

The Lakers have shown life and shown that they could be a title contenders. They are in discussions as a champion team, which with Kobe, Bynum and Gasol, why wouldn't they be. They have all the right pieces and currently, their "Bench Mob" is having great production, which makes the starters lives easier. As the season goes on, this Laker team will work out their kinks and get into a rhythm that will carry them to a championship in 2012!

Preseason is over...

The preseason for the Lakers is officially over. They played both their preseason games against their across the hall opponents, the LA Clippers. Lakers lost both games to the newly revamped Clippers, but even new Lakers Head Coach Mike Brown said before the two games that preseason games aren't about winning for him, they are about tinkering with line-ups and getting a chance to look at some of the new additions to the team and see how the younger talent play in bigger roles.

In the first game of the first half, the Lakers played great team basketball. Passing well, making shots, but they weren't there 100% on the defensive end. But they kept the game close, even going into the half time tied. The second half of the game was a different story. The Lakers fell apart, not hitting their shots, dribbling too much and even got worse on defense. To cap the game off, Kobe Bryant wound up spraining his shooting wrist after driving to the basket, getting hit hard by DeAndre Jordan, and crashing to the floor. The Clippers led by Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups, crushed the Lakers 114-95.

In game two of two against the Clippers, the Lakers started out strong. They were hitting their shots, doing everything Coach Brown wanted them to do. They also played the game without Bryant, who is listed day-to-day with that wrist sprain. The Lakers three point shot kept them in the game. They even fought back in the third and fourth quarter down by 10 to pull within three in the final minute of the game. They lost the game 108-103, but it showed the Lakers can still fight, that was with minutes going to a couple of players Brown wanted to look at in a game situation. If this was a regualr season game, Kobe would of been playing and had the Lakers played like they did last night, they would of won, even against CP3 and the new look Clippers.

It seems a lot of people in the NBA circle are counting the Lakers out of the Conference Finals, even the NBA Finals, just because the Clippers landed CP3 and the Lakers lost Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown. They still Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant, all members of the championship team and all players who can lead the Lakers to the Finals. The team also has some good looking talent that will be able to help this team this season more than ever.

Devin Ebanks. photo from
Zimbio.com

The first player on the list of Laker players that will see a more important role and deserves it is Devin Ebanks. He is the second year player the team drafted from the second round last year out of West Virginia. He stands in at 6'9" and has been known for his defensive talents, but the two preseason games showed he can produced, even in limited minutes. Both games he played 13 minutes, coming off the bench the first game and starting in the second. Brown said the starting position is between Ebanks and Barnes. In the second game, Ebanks started off hot, hitting his jump shots, if he were to of played the entire game, he probably would of been in the double digits, maybe even close to 20 points. He will see a larger role, filling the void left by Odom and playing a Trevor Ariza role, but with what seems a little better offensive weapon than Ariza. Brown said to the LA Times after the game, that neither Barnes or Ebanks "has separated themselves yet, so we're still kind of searching and looking." It might take some time to find the every game started, but Brown might have to work in each player to see who plays better with the starting line.

Darius Morris. photo from
draftexpress.com

Darius Morris, the point guard out of Michigan, showed in the first preseason game he can play and deserves a spot on the Lakers roster. In the first game, he backed up Steve Blake, scoring 11 points going 5-9 in 24 minutes. He also added three rebound and three assists. He could be a nice addition to the Lakers, playing their third point guard and maybe even some two guard at certain times. If he keeps working on his game, improving his NBA skills, then he definitely earn more minutes and could even take time away from Steve Blake, who is a point guard who is hot and cold throughout a game. Also Morris is stronger than Blake, which would make him a better defender, where Blake is more like a poor man version of Sasha Vujacic, who would bump the player he was defending and just get under his skin. Blake does that, but he also plays a lot of "olay" defense, where he just steps to the side and lets his guy goes by, expecting someone else to defend his man. If Morris can improve throughout the season, he can make Blake expendable and maybe even used as trade bait to land another player that could help this Lakers team out.

Another player that the Lakers used the preseason to look at was recent signee Troy Murphy. Last season Murphy was too banged up and injured to play like he did when he was in the Pacer uniform. When the Lakers signed him, they brought him in to help back up the center position. His second outing with the Lakers went well, grabbing five rebounds and scoring five points in 18 minutes of play. That will be the type of production the Lakers will hope to get out of Murphy. A solid 15 minutes will be well worth the money spent on him and Murphy will be able to use this time to show other NBA teams he can still play in some sort of position and be a guy that contenders can bring in to help them spread the floor and rebound, a sort of a hired gun.

Two guards that got some playing time in game two of the preseason were Gerald Green, the former Celtic and dunking machine, and Andrew Goudelock, the other 2011 second round draft pick for the Lakers. Green  hasn't improved since his Celtic's days, playing only eight minutes, picking up two fouls and missing his only shot attempt. His game did not live up to the hype that he had in his rookie season. With his time away from the league, he has played overseas and one would think he would try to improve his game so he can make it back into the league full time. There is a hard chance for Green to make the team. If the Lakers do decide to keep him, he will probably wind up in the D-Leauge, to work on his game. Goudelock showed a mixture of things in the 2nd game last night. He scored nine points, all on three pointers, but went 3-8 from the field goal. He also added four rebound and three assists. Goudelock might have a hard chance to make the team, but he is a better choice for a fourth string guard than Green. He would also probably be more willing to spend time with the D-Fenders, the Lakers development team. He showed he can shoot the ball well when he gets his shot going. On one of the nights where the Lakers are playing their third game in three days, he could help spark the offense with some of his speed and shooting ability.

The Lakers have a lot to do over the course of the season, but they still have a chance to make it to the Conference finals and even the NBA Finals. A team with Gasol, Bynum, Fisher and Kobe should never be counted out. It will just take a lot of stepping up from the players that fill in the rest of the roster, whether it is Metta World Peace, Matt Barnes, Ebanks, Morris, Josh McRoberts, Murphy or Blake.

This Christmas, look for the Lakers playing their first game against the Chicago Bulls, in what will be an exciting game.

Preseason starts tomorrow...

This week the Lakers will play their first game of team ball. Tomorrow night marks the first of two preseason games, both against the LA Clippers. The Lakers will have a real test for their hold overs from last year and for their newly signed players when they play newly traded Chris Paul and the Clippers. 

The Clippers are now being regarded as the team to beat in LA since they landed Chris Paul in the only blockbuster trade of this year's quick off season. They have also brought in another top point guard in Chauncey Billups, who they claimed off the waiver wire. Reports on ESPN said Billups will move to the two guard position, which may make things difficult for two point guards that are very similar to play together on the court at the same time. They might work things out, but it may take a season to work the kinks out. Or Billups might move on after this season, to another contender for a title, something he said he wanted to go to before being claimed. The Clippers also added Caron Butler, one of the most sought after free agents this year, who before his surgery last season was an excellent scorer and has career averages of 16.6 points a game and 31% at the three-point line. Adding those three top level players with the likes of Blake Griffin, who is a dunking machine, will make the Clippers the more exciting team in LA, with all of the alley-oops and power dunks, but the experience and championship rings point to the older, veteran club in the Lakers. Plus with the Lakers also have the best player in the league, with Kobe Bryant, a player who is just as hungry as he was when he one his first title. Also, after last year's sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, he is ready to prove he is not over the hill and that they deserve another ring.

The Lakers have lost two key pieces from their two championship teams from a couple years ago with Shannon Brown signing with the Phoenix Suns and more importantly Lamar Odom, who was traded to the defending Dallas Mavericks after requesting a trade because the Lakers tried trading him to the Hornets. Both when were the Lakers bench last season, adding that spark to the offense when it was lacking. Odom was an everything man who will not and can not be replaced by any of the players that the Lakers signed this season. He could play every position, shoot, rebound, run the offense, and had the skill set of a point guard, but was a 6'10" forward. Both of those players will help their new teams out more than those teams will realize until the season gets into full swing. The players the Lakers signed will have a tough time replacing Brown and Odom, but in Mike Brown's new offsense, players may be able step up in different ways.

The newly signed Lakers that look to have a solid role on this year's team are Jason Kapono, Josh McRoberts, draft pick Darius Morris and possibly recently signed Troy Murphy.

Jason Kapono photo
courtesy of AOLnews

Jason Kapono was the first "big" sign for the Lakers. They added the three point specialist who holds a career  average of 43% at the three point line. He was lost in the shuffle last season when he played for the Sixers, playing in 24 games total and only going one for eight at the three point line. As a two time Three Point Champion at the All-Star weekend, Kapono brings his sweet three ball to a team that lacked three pointers last season. The Lakers will probably have Kapono play the back up two guard position, but will also work him into the line-up with Kobe, Bynum and Gasol. Brown has stated in interviews that his plan is to make teams double team his three superstars, that it will leave guys like Kapono open on the three point line to knock down the open shots. If he can play a solid 20 minutes, adding three pointers and helping bring the team ball effort forth on the second unit, he will be well worth the one year, $1.2 million dollar contract. If he doesn't, he could be good trade bait as an expiring contract.

Josh McRoberts. Photo courtesy of mcroberts blog.

The second signing of significance for the Lakers could also be a source of criticism for them. They brought in former Indiana Pacer Josh McRoberts to play the back-up big man role that was formally Odom's. Both players are 6'10" but "McBob" can not be compared to Odom, no one can be. No on can replace Odom. But "McBob" brings in size and the ability to bang around the big guys of the west. Last season was a break out season for the fifth year veteran, where he averaged 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds. He can also space the floor, as last season he had an average of 38% at the three-point line. He won't be depended on his three point shot, but if he is open to take them, he should. He will start the first five games for the Lakers, since Bynum will be serving his suspension, so he will be able to gain momentum and confidence in this new offense and new surroundings. Also after the first five games, he will have established himself to his teammates that they will be able to trust him as a player. He did take all of the Lakers "mini mid-level exception" for two years and about $6 million dollars. This signing should work for the Lakers because it helps solidify their bench and fill the void left by Odom. But, and this is a big but, "McBob" can not compete with what Odom left for a legacy, it just won't work, he is his own player.

Darius Morris. Photo from ESPN

Draft pick Darius Morris, the 41st selection out of Michigan, has a chance to be the second string point guard for this Lakers team. He is a 6'4" guard, who is known for his passing ability and defense, something Coach Brown is preaching on. During the 2010-2011 season at Michigan, Morris averaged 15 points and 6.7 assists, along with a steal a game. With a mentor like Derek Fisher and playing with the greatest player in the league, Kobe Bryant, he couldn't be worse off. He will have to earn his minutes, but he could compete with Steve Blake for minutes and if he keeps growing and becoming an NBA point guard, it would make Blake expendable. The two preseason games against the Clippers will be a good test for him, to see where he is at and where he will stand in the point guard rotation. Even if Morris doesn't break into the full rotation this year, he can gain experience and he comes cheap, where next year he will be more valuable to the team. Even when he was drafted, GM Mitch Kupchak said Morris was a steal at the 41st pick and that they were excited to draft him. For a GM to say that about a player in the second round, it means they are willing to see how this player will grow and hopefully become a full time NBA point guard and a fixture with the Lakers.

Troy Murphy. Photo from nj.com

The latest player signed by the Lakers was a former double-double machine in Troy Murphy. Last season he was not himself. He was hit by injuries during the preseason and he wasn't able to get back into shape. He said on Lakers.com that he is back to 100% and ready to help out the Lakers. If he is back to the game shape that he was when he played for the Pacers, he will be able to help the Lakers second unit. He can hit the three point shot, take it inside and rebound extremely well. The Lakers didn't bring him in to the the second option, he will be behind Bynum, Gasol, "McBob," and Caracter, when he returns from surgery. Murphy will probably be playing for the Lakers come opening night, because of Bynum's suspension, but after those five games, it will determine the amount of time will be used on Murphy. If he can rebound and hit the open shot, along with spread out the floor, he should be able to earn a good 15 to 20 minutes of playing time. The Lakers didn't use too much money on him, as they only signed him for one year and around one million dollars. If it doesn't work, the Lakers didn't waste that much money, but still have a big body to give the starters a rest. If he is back to his old game form, or close to it, then they struck gold. He will be a major step up from the likes of Theo Ratliff, who played one season too long and Joe Smith, who was in the same boat as Ratliff.

With the new additions to the Lakers, it solidifies their "mob" bench, as they were nicknamed during their title run a couple years ago. Metta World Peace will be the anchor on the bench, as Brown said he was going to start Matt Barnes or Devin Ebanks and move World Peace to the bench to run the offense and defense through him. With a bench that if filled with the likes of Morris, Kapono, World Peace, Ebanks (if Barnes starts), McBob and Murphy, they have a solid bench they could help rest the starters and even provide a nice spark that they lack. Will these players replace Odom, no but it is a step in the right direction and their are enough of them to even bring more collectively to the team than just Odom and Brown.

Only time will tell and tomorrow the Lakers will find out in the preseason against the Clippers.

Oh the drama of the NBA...in Lakerland

The first week of the NBA is over. Free agency officially started last Friday and this shorten season proved to be just as drama filled as the season's past.

As of Sunday, the Lakers are officially out of the Chris Paul trade hunt. The NBA, aka David Stern, rejected a trade that would of sent Paul to the purple and gold in a three team deal. The New Orleans Hornets would of received Lamar Odom from the Lakers and Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic and a 2012 first round draft pick from the Houston Rockets. For the Rockets, they would receive Pau Gasol from the Lakers. The Hornets would of made out better than the other two teams. The Lakers would of landed a top five point guard, but the loss of Gasol and Odom would of weakened the Lakers front line, that they still wouldn't of been a championship team. The Hornets would of had three automatic started and could be All-Stars. But that deal fell through when David Stern cited basketball reasons to reject the trade.

Lamar Odom. Photo from sports.gather.com

Then on Saturday, he came out with a statement saying that the Hornets would of been better off with Paul in a Hornets jersey than accepting that trade. With the rejection of the trade, the entire league went into an uproar, stating their disgust with how he vetoed the trade. But the trade is now in the past and the Lakers have to move on. To extent, the trade being vetoed was a blessing in disguise. The Lakers were able to keep to their size and not empty their team for Paul. But the trade also backfired. Odom was so hurt by the fact that the Lakers wanted to trade him without letting him know, he asked to be traded. He met with Mitch Kupchak on Friday instead of practising with the team. As of Sunday night, Odom has been officially traded to the defending Champions and team that swept the Lakers last year, the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs now have a trio of fowards that could rank as the best trio in the league- Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, and Odom. This move hurts the Lakers. Odom was a very effective player, one that the entire team enjoyed playing with. Even Kobe was upset with this trade. On media day at the Lakers facility, Kobe said he "was pissed off" by this move, but he hoped management knew what they were doing. But Odom didn't want to be somewhere where he didn't feel wanted. All the Lakers got for Odom was a 2012 draft pick, which will most likely be in the high 20s, and a one year player trade exception.

There were rumors going around that this trade could help the Lakers land Dwight Howard, but the player trade exception isn't big enough to take on Hedo Turkoglu's contract. Plus Orlando wants both Gasol and Bynum, which would deplete the Lakers front line so much, even a team with Kobe Bryant and Howard couldn't win a championship, unless they could find some other guy that could like - like a Robert Horry or Rick Fox. J.A. Adande, NBA analyst, said that the Lakers might of made this move to make Odom happy after upsetting him and that they could use the player trade exception to sign a younger player who could play center and help fill the void of a back up center. If the Lakers keep both Gasol and Bynum, they would just need a guy to come in and play 15 maybe even 20 minutes of solid effort, crashing the boards on both ends of the court and maybe even put a few points on the score board.

Ronny Turiaf. Photo from Sports Illustrated 

The idea of a guy like Ronny Turiaf, who was drafted and played with the Lakers for a couple seasons, could be a nice fit on this team. He knows the players and he could fill the energy gap that is left for Odom. Turiaf was traded from the New York Knicks to the Washington Wizards to make room for Tyson Chandler. It has yet to be seen if the Wizards are going to keep Turiaf or if they will look to cut him free or trade him. The Wizards do have a log jam at the power forward/center position with the likes of Rashard Lewis, Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Trevor Booker and recently drafted Jan Vesely. If they do look to trade or release him, the Lakers should look into him. Is he Dwight Howard, no, but with Gasol and Bynum, the Lakers only need a back up to help rest them.

The Lakers also have their "mini mid-level" exception that could be used on a center or better yet, a power foward to take the spot for the now traded Odom. As for the point guard position, something the Lakers were trying to fix with bringing in Paul, there are a few older, veteran players that have been released from their teams that could take a veteran minimum contract and still bring a lot to the team. Chauncey Billups is the biggest name of this list. He said he wants to go to a championship ready team and not waste his time as being part of a rebuilding effort. That is understandable, he only has a few years left at the quality he has been playing. Another play, who is a free agent, is Delonte West. He would be a step up from Steve Blake and could play both positions at the guard. He was coached by Mike Brown, so he would be comfortable with the system.

Odom is going to be missed, that is a cold hard fact that the Lakers have yet to really grasp. The players already know what Odom brings to the team and what is going to be missed with him gone. The answers of who will play the back up power forward and center positions and if there will be another point guard brought in to help out only can be answered by the Lakers front office, who probably don't have the answers yet.

Morning of Free Agency in Lakerland...

Lakerland has been rocked by trade news and it is not positive. Late last night, ESPN and NBATV both were reporting that a three team deal, featuring the Lakers, Hornets and Rockets was in place to go through at the start of free agency today.

The Lakers would of received All-Star point guard Chris Paul, the guard they have been chasing after all week. Then the Lakers would of sent Pau Gasol to Houston and Lamar Odom to the Hornets. The Rockets would have sent Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic and 2012 first round draft pick to the Hornets. On paper, the Hornets were winning this trade. Even off paper, on the court the winners were clearly the Hornets.

But the trade was killed. Shot dead by the Hornets owners, which just so happen to be the NBA and David Stern. The NBA took over ownership of the Hornets last year, but left the basketball decisions up to the front office of the team, until last night. On the same night the league was officially started again with the CBA being officially signed, David Stern killed the trade.

Dan Gilbert, Cavs Owner

ESPN reported that owners, like Dan Gilbert of the Cleveland Cavaliers, pressured David Stern into rejecting the trade, calling it "a travesty." Fans are probably asking why a trade like this is a travesty. The Hornets are clearly going to be a better team than they were last year. The Lakers get another superstar in Paul, but this trade doesn't make them any better, in fact it might make them a little weaker because they are down to one big man and that big man is Andrew Bynum - who has only played one full season in his six year career. The league shot down this trade, but they didn't shoot down the trade that had the whole league upset when Memphis and Lakers switched centers, Gasol and Kwame Brown - a trade that was extremely one sided.

Now all the players involved in this trade have training camp today. Will they all show up? Will they not want to play for the team that wanted to trade them? Only time will tell. Hopefully for Lakerland, Gasol and Odom both show up and dust this off. Players know it is a business, but something like this also hurts because it is like they are being "fired" from their current team.

Dwight Howard talk

What is even going worse for the Lakers, is that the Dwight Howard may wind up somewhere else via trade. ESPN reported this morning that Howard was requesting a trade to the New Jersey Nets. The Nets would build a trade around Brook Lopez and draft picks, and would even take the big contract of Hedo Turkoglu. If Dwight gets this trade, he would team up with Deron Williams and would instantly make the Nets a lot better. And it would keep D'Will in a Nets uniform past this year.

The Nets of course won't be in New Jersey for too long. They are moving to Brooklyn for the 2012-2013 season, so the lights of NYC will be enticing to a talent like Howard, plus the chance to play with a superstar guard like D'Will.

This is the second major blow to the Lakers in the last 24 hours. What does it mean for their trade hopes? Is a trade for CP3 worth it now if they can't land Howard who would help the weak front line of the Lakers with Odom and Gasol traded away. If the Lakers could of landed Howard after CP3, then all the trades are worth it. But if they can't, then they shouldn't send both their top power forwards away for a guard and not get another big body back.


Point Guard talk

Chauncey Billups

The point of this trade was to land a point guard that could help the Lakers and inject them with some youth. The point guards under contract with the Lakers are Derek Fisher and Steve Blake. Fisher could easily move to the second unit and lead those guys on the court. If the Lakers don't land CP3 in a trade before Christmas, it won't be a total lost of the season. There are still a few point guards out there that could help this team. A veteran team like the Lakers could use a proven player with Championship experience and has the nickname "Mr. Big Shot." Chauncey Billups. ESPN is reporting that Tyson Chandler will be signing with the New York Knicks once free agency starts and that the Knicks will be looking to cut Billups, either with a trade, buyout or amnesty cut. If Billups hits the market, the Lakers should look into him. He still has some gas in the tank and with a chance to make it to the Finals again, that could be extremely enticing. He can pass, shoot, and play lock down defense, something that the Lakers need. It will also increase their 3 point shooting. Would he be a savior, not sure, but he could help the Lakers and could come cheap, since the Knicks would still be paying part of his salary.


Another player that could help in the point guard spot is Delonte West. He would be better off as the second unit point guard, but he would be a step up from Steve Blake. He played for Mike Brown in Cleveland, so he would be comfortable in this system. He also started out with the Celtics, which prided themselves on tough, hard nose defense. West could help the defensive side of the second unit and add a scoring touch. He can shoot the three, drive to the basket and hit the mid range jumper. The Lakers are also on the short list of Delonte's list of teams he'd like to play for, along with Boston, Suns and Mavericks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! NBA analyst. 


Would either of these guys replace a talent like Chris Paul. No. But they could help the Lakers if they stand pat with this current roster and solidify the bench, something that needs to be worked on.


This afternoon, at 2pm Eastern time, questions will be answered and probably more questions will be asked in Lakerland.

The day keeps getting crazier in Lakerland...

Chris Paul to the Lakers seems to be growing more and more serious. ESPN reported tonight that the Hornets and Lakers have brought in a third team to pull off this blockbuster trade. That third team is another Western Conference competitor, the Houston Rockets.

According to the ESPN report, Gasol will be sent to the Rockets to fill the center position left by the retirement of Yao Ming. Chris Paul will be sent to Los Angeles and the New Orleans Hornets will look like the winners of this trade. Chris Broussard reported that Kevin Martin, Luis Scola and a combination of younger talent will be sent to the Hornets. He said either or both Martin and Scola could wind up with the Hornets, along with young talent like Chase Budinger, Patrick Patterson, and Jordan Hill - all players that showed they can handle themselves in the NBA.

If this trade does go through, the Hornets could be a pretty good team. Even with losing their All-Star point guard, they have Jarrett Jack, who has proven to be a leader and a good player who could fill the void. He won't be Chris Paul, but he can be the point guard that passes the ball to sharpshooter Martin or big man Scola. Also with the young talent from Houston, the Hornets will have a solid bench to help them out.

Houston would be losing out on this deal. They would get Pau Gasol, who could play center and power forward for them. But they won't have much else on the team for help for Gasol. So he would be going to a situation like he left in Memphis, where he was THE guy. It won't be the ideal situation for him, but maybe the Rockets can add some pieces or the young guys on the team will step up.

The Lakers would place second in a trade like this. They would gain the point guard they need. Would it be ideal to ship Gasol off instead of Bynum? It will be tested. As long as the Lakers don't trade Lamar Odom in this trade, then the would be down to one big man and that big man can't play the first five games because of suspension and isn't reliable when it comes to his health.

The ESPN report doesn't say if any other players would be sent to Houston or L.A., but there might be to make the money side of trade work. Will those players actually make the team or contribute, depends on who goes where and what position they play.

Also a report on ESPN said the reason why Bynum is not being traded to the Hornets instead of Gasol, is because they are saving him to ship off to Orland, even though that trade isn't in the bag. That is another trade the Lakers shouldn't empty their bench for. Three All-Stars, CP3, Howard and Kobe, can't win a championship. Look at the Heat, their big three fell to Dallas in the finals. If the Lakers land CP3, then they are still a top team in the league and they should hold off on the Dwight Howard trade, unless it can be a straight up trade, which will probably be unlikely.

Once the season and free agency actually starts tomorrow, only more confusion and questions will come from all these rumors surrounding the Lakers.

Lakers...day before the Frenzy starts

It is the last day before the crazy "offseason" of the NBA begins. Rumors are still flying around the league about what free agents are going where and what blockbuster trades are going to take place before the season kick off on Christmas day. As per every other season, the Lakers are on the forefront of the rumors.

The Chris Paul and Dwight Howard to California talk is still going strong. As of this morning, the Lakers and Celtics are leading the pack for CP3, at least according to ESPN. CP3 has said that he would not sign a contract extension with the Boston Green and White, which would not worth the time for the Celtics. They have an All-Star point guard with Rajon Rondo who wants to be the Celts, even after all the trade talk about shipping him off for CP3. Rondo is a triple threat when it comes to his game. He is a premier passer, a good defender and an effective rebounder. His one big fault is his shooting touch, something that CP3 has down, along with all the qualities listed about Rondo. But if CP3 is going to pull a one and done deal, like the current trend with college stars, then Boston is better off to build around Rondo and Jeff Green, their only other young piece that is also a proven player from his days with the Thunder. ESPN even has a poll for fans to answer, asking whether or not Boston should trade Green, Rondo and draft picks for Chris Paul without assurance Paul would stay around. As of 9:41 a.m., the poll had 5,255 votes, with 79% saying no.

Chris Paul. Photo courtesy of
blogs.hoopshype.com

That leaves the Lakers as the destination for the the all star point guard Paul. The Lakers also have quality pieces that would help the Hornets. Bynum for CP3, straight up, would be ideal. The Lakers wouldn't empty their team for one player, like the Celtics did when they traded for Kevin Garnett. But if Bynum winds up with  the Hornets, then Emeka Okafor, who is in line to make close to $40 million over the next three seasons, is on the outs. Okafor wouldn't be a good fit with the Lakers and his contract would be too big to take on for them. So a third team would have to be brought in so the Hornets could dump Okafor and maybe even get a few more extra pieces to add to their team.

If the Lakers have to use Bynum and/or Gasol and Odom in any form of two for one, or even all three to get just CP3 and filler, then the Lakers are crazy. If the Lakers keep all three big men, then they will still have one of the biggest lineups with all three of them are at or close to the seven foot mark (Odom is listed at 6'10" and he can play all five positions without a problem). If they could pull some sort of straight up deal and maybe even bring a third team in to help both sides, then the Lakers should go for it. But if they can't, then they should keep with the team they have and go from their. Any team with a combo of three seven footers and Kobe Bryant, should be a contender for the title. Plus they are all healthy and rested up, something they haven't been at the beginning of the season in the last three years.

The only other news from the Lakers camp is that, according to both Yahoo Sports and ESPN, Jason Kapono will be a Laker this coming season. Will he be the answer to all the Lakers' problems with their weak bench? No. Will he fill the void left by Shannon Brown, who looks to be leaving? No. But he does bring three point shooting, something the Lakers lacked last season. He can give Bryant some rest, which he will need with the hectic game schedule, and he can even help in crunch time. It was stated by a fan on a forum on ESPN that Kapono is one in the same with Luke Walton. Walton, who has been hampered by injuries the last couple of seasons, is much more of a point forward. He can read an offense when he is playing and has been a great passer since he camp into the league. Walton can also be considered a spot up shooter, but he doesn't score much, as he is much more of a facilitator. Both of them could have spots on the roster, as both bring different attributes to the team.

Darius Morris. Photo courtesy of Michiganreview.com

If or when Shannon Brown leaves for greener pastures, the Lakers need to look into a backup point guard who can offer what Brown did, that spark off the bench. Also a player that can distribute the ball while at the point would be ideal for the Lakers' second unit. They have been linked to Jose Juan Barea, the Dallas Maverick's guard that took the cheap shot from Bynum in Game 4 of last years playoffs. Do the Lakers have enough money for him, probably not, but they do have their "mini" mid-level exception, which would be worth  about $9 million over three years. Would a player like Barea be worth that contract on a team like the Lakers, when the Lakers also need to fill the void of a back up center. The Lakers did draft two guards, Darius Morris, a 6'4" Michigan product, and Andrew Goudelock, a 6'3" Charleston product. Both come cheaper and easier than selling a guy on joining the Lakers. Morris could be a good point guard, espicially with Derek Fisher as a mentor. Morris averaged 6.7 assists while he played at Michigan and he can shoot. If given his chance he could blossom into a point guard that fills the point guard position. He may even challenge Fisher for the starting position or even started minutes, depending on the situations in the game.

With all that said, tomorrow will be a day all Laker fan's have been waiting for since the blowout last season. Questions should start to be answered and things should start to fall into place for the Lakers. Until then, fans will keep playing different scenarios in their heads trying to make the best team they can to win the title this year.